She didn’t believe he was a bad guy despite appearances. People hid a lot of things under carefully crafted exteriors, and beneath the intensity of that glower, she’d sensed a lot of pain but not evil.
Was she gifted? Not even a little. But as someone who often watched from the sidelines, she’d become pretty good at picking up on and interpreting subtle tells.
Also, a bad guy wouldn’t carry a family heirloom with him like that, would he?
He would if he stole it, the devil on her shoulder whispered.
He didn’t steal it, the angel on her other shoulder said confidently.
Penny hoped the angel was right. It usually was.
When several minutes passed and he didn’t appear, she began to think he’d changed his mind. Or maybe he had never intended to accompany her and just said he would to get rid of her. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d been ditched.
She’d give him another five minutes, and then she’d accept it for what it was and go. She’d call on Zeb first thing Monday morning and ask for his help with the motorcycle, but beyond that, she’d take the hint and leave the mysterious stranger alone.
Penny was just about to give up when he appeared. He got into the van, bringing with him the scents of leather and something spicy and masculine. At least he didn’t seem to be limping quite as badly as he had earlier. That had to be a good sign, right?
“Are you sure you don’t want to swing by the ER and let them check you out? It’s on the way.”
“I’m sure,” he answered, looking out the window.
Her heart was pounding in her chest but not because she was afraid. The full-sized van felt smaller with him in the passenger seat, being all broody and smoldering.
Intimate even.
He said nothing more, and neither did she. It made for a quiet, uneasy drive.
They arrived at the diner outside of town and were seated in a booth along the window. Only after the server brought them coffee and took their orders did she break the awkward silence again.
“I’m Penny, by the way. Penny Hoffmeier. My family runs the flower shop in town.”
His eyes flicked out to the parking lot, where her van prominently displayed Hoffmeier Floral amid their flowery logo.
Right. Pretty obvious, Penny.
“This is the part where you tell me your name,” she prompted.
“Jaxson,” he said finally. “Jaxson Adams.”
More progress.
“What brings you to Sumneyville, Jaxson?” she asked, adding copious amounts of sugar and cream to her coffee. He kept his black, she noticed.
He turned his gaze away from the window. Gray-green eyes lasered into her, making her heart beat faster again. Penny had always been a sucker for nice eyes, and his were outstanding. Super clear, almost like marble glass, and rimmed in dark chestnut lashes. Once again, they seemed vaguely familiar, though she was certain she’d never met him before. She definitely would have remembered.
“Sanctuary, right?” she said after a few moments of silence. “You’re headed to Sanctuary?”
“What makes you think that?” he asked cautiously.
“Well, you’re obviously former military.”
“And you know that because ...”
“I saw your dog tags.” And some other really fine stuff, she thought, forcing herself to focus. “Army?”
He nodded and sipped his coffee.
“My dad was in the Army, too. Is that where you got those scars?” Penny asked the question before she could stop herself. The warning glare she received in response had her backpedaling quickly. “I’m sorry. That was incredibly rude of me. It’s none of my business.”
He grunted again. Or was it a low, short growl? Whatever it was, it made his Adam’s apple bob. Her eyes were drawn to the movement. She wondered if the chestnut scruff dusting his jawline was scratchy or soft. It looked soft against those hard angles.
“It’s a nice place—or so I’ve heard,” she continued. “Sanctuary, I mean. I haven’t actually been up there since it’s been redone, but I know some of the people who live there ...” Her words dropped off. She realized why he looked familiar. “Do you have family in Sumneyville by any chance?”
Instantly alert, his eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”
This guy doesn’t like answering questions, does he?
“You remind me of someone, is all.”
“Who?”
“Just someone I know.”
“Ilsa?” he asked.
She shook her head. The resemblance had to be a coincidence. “Who’s Ilsa?”
Just that quickly, the interest in his eyes faded, and he went back to looking out the window. “Do you always ask so many questions?”
“I’m naturally curious, I guess.”
“You know what they say about curiosity and cats.”
Penny thought his lips might have quirked slightly, but it happened so fast that she must have been mistaken. “I’m not a cat though, am I?”
“No, but the principle’s the same.”
Is that a warning?
“Look, I’m just trying to be friendly, okay? And I feel bad about what happened.” She exhaled and rubbed the spot between her brows. “I’m just overtired, I think. I pulled an all-nighter to get the arrangements done for the wedding.”
Their food came, and the next several minutes were spent in silence as they each tucked into their meals. For a motorcycle-driving badass, he had impeccable table manners.
The angel on her shoulder whispered, I told you so.
Despite the fact that he’d agreed to let her pay, he snatched the check when the waitress left it on the table.
She reached out to take it back, connecting with his hand. When those gray-green eyes instantly snapped to hers, she quickly pulled her hand away and said, “Hey, I’m buying, remember?”
He ignored her and pulled cash from his wallet, giving her a glimpse of his driver’s license in the process. The man in the photo had close-cropped hair and was clean-shaven, but there was no doubt it was the same guy.
“You’re from Virginia, huh? I’ve never been. I heard it’s nice though.”
He closed his wallet and glared at her.
Yes, she knew she was being nosy, but in her defense, he was the most interesting thing to happen to her in a long time.
She cleared her throat and attempted to engage him again. “I’m not doing anything later. I could drive you up to Sanctuary, if you’d like. After I get a few hours of sleep, that is.”
“Not necessary.”
“Well, it is kind of my fault that your motorcycle’s out of commission.”
He snorted. “Kind of? Look, Peggy—”
“Penny,” she corrected, ignoring the unexpected sting.
“Whatever. I think you’ve done enough, don’t you?”
Penny was tired, and his grumpiness was starting to wear on her. She was trying to be nice, but he wasn’t making it easy. Some people couldn’t accept kindness, and some people just didn’t want to be helped. He seemed to fall into both of those categories.
She exhaled. “Fine. I tried.”
Irritated, she shoved the money he’d put on the table back at him, grabbed the check, and went up to the cashier, where she paid for both of them. Then, she walked out of the diner, got back into her van, and waited.